MERKSEM/LEUVEN - Two of the three leaders in the Belgian three cushion league closed the sixth day with a maximum 8-0 victory. BC Deurne, with a feverish Torbjörn Blomdahl, defeated DOS Roeselare and KBC Zanzibar got the better of Biljartvrienden. Frédéric Caudron (50 in 16) and Jean van Erp (42 in 17) were the two star players of the day. De Goeie Queue remained on top, although the team was in trouble against Op de Meir (5-3).
The match winner was Eddy Merckx, who drew with Barry van Beers in the last session (50-50 in 30) and doing so, was responsible for the precious point. The Dutchman, who was slightly behind in the first part, eventually finished with seven. Merckx closed it out, when the tension was growing, with two required points in the equalizer.
Before the break, Jean Paul de Bruijn pulled the trigger 42-20 in 18 against Roland Uytdewillegen (14 run in the 13th inning) and Jerry Hermans lost to Ivan Stitschinsky 42-39 in 38. Frédéric Caudron flaunted with another victory against Eddy Leppens (50-22 in 16), played his best match in this competition so far and racked up his sixth victory after five wins in 20, 25, 26, 30 and 30 innings in the previous matches. His best phase against Leppens started in the fourth inning with 13, followed by two times 6, 7 for and a 39 in 10 as the intermediate score.
The top positions remain as it was: three frontrunners after six matches with eleven points. Biljart Express, after an 8-0 win over De Ploeg 2 and De Witte Molen (6-2 win against De Poeg 1) are on positions four and five.
De Goeie Queue is awaiting a few important weeks now, starting with the match against Op de Meir (6-2 win) and then vs Zanzibar on November 16, at home against BC Deurne on November 24 and away against BC Herentals on November 25.
Jean van Erp sparkled for Deurne on Monday in the duel with DOS Roeselare. The Dutch champion was the best man of his team in the match against Philippe Vandendriessche, including a run of fourteen in the eighth (the highest on this match day, together with Jean Paul de Bruijn). Van Erp came down to a final sprint when he finished unthreatened 42-22 in 17 innings (2.470).
Torbjörn Blomdahl, winner against Steven van Acker (50-33 in 30) and Jef Philipoom against Cédéric Melnytschenko (50-43 in 35) were the strong finishers in the second part. Davy van Havere defeated Peter Mostrey before the break 42-32 in 40.
Roland Forthomme celebrated the coming up of his 45th birthday with a nice win against Raimond Burgman (50-37 in 24). The team leader had a pretty slow start (15-13 behind after fifteen innings), but finished nine innings later. That last victory for the team, after Dave Christiani in 26, Kenny Miatton in 32 and Jimmy Mues in 42 brought the 8-0 victory on the score board for Zanzibar.
John Tijssens was the best in the opponent’s team (against Christiani) with 1.769. Dave explained: ,,We were 47-30 in 21 innings, but unfortunately I used five innings for the last three points. Tijssens made a few good runs and a nice comeback. I had 34 in 13, so a missed the opportunity to play a really high average.’’
Jaak Wijnen did an excellent job with a great win against Glenn Hofmann (50-44 in 25), his teammates in De Ploeg 1 were defeated by Francis Forton, Ad Broeders and Dirk Weeremans from De Witte Molen. Broeders defeated Therese Klompenhouwer 42-40 in 29.
Mister 100 Lier returned home with an unexpected victory over Herentals. Kurt, Raymond and Bart Ceulemans (the youngest was the best of the four with 1.400) put the home team on the rack. Martin Horn was the only winner for Herentals and always had the upper hand against Peter Ceulemans 50-19 in 25 innings.
Biljart Exptress triumphed against De Ploeg 2 (8-0) with an excellent Frans van Kuyk, who beat the German Masters winner Dustin Jäschke 50-43 in 23, despite a run of 13.
Roland Forthomme won his match and then celebrated his birthday
Frédéric Caudron, best player of the sixth playing day
Jean van Erp was the best man in the team of BC Deurne